Steering mechanism for automobiles.



EATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903.

K E. E, WEITE. STEERING MEGEANISM .EOE AUTUMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 1. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented september 29, 1903.

'PATENT OEEICE.

RoLLIN H. WHITE, or CLEvELAND,oHio, Ass'IeNoR To THE WHITE sEw- INGMACHINE COMPANY, vor CLEVELAND, omo, A ooRPoEA'rIoN on OHIO.

STEERING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent lilo. 740,209, datedSeptember 29, 1903.

Application filed December l, 1902. Serial llo. 133,331. (No model.)

To alt whom it may oon/cern:

Be it known that LROLLIN H. WHITE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful-l1nprovement in Steering Mechanism forAutomobiles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates particularly7 to the mechanism for operating thesteering-wheels of an automobile, and it also includes the construction,substantially as shown, for suitably supporting a tubular steering-postand a concentric throttle-operating shaft.

The invention may be here summarized as consisting of the constructionand combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed outdefinitely in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the front part of anaut0mobi1e-frame carrying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional side viewof the mechanism constituting the present invention. Fig. 3 is a frontelevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a sectionalview of the ballandsocket connection between the link, which goes to oneof the steering-wheel knuckles, and the leverarm which operates saidlink.

Referring to the parts by letters, A A are the side members and u; aparallel intermediate members of the automobile-frame.

B represents the front axle, and C the steering-wheel knuckles pivotedthereto-on vertical'pivots in the usual way. Armsc, rigidly secured tothese knuckles, are connected by a cross-link c', and one of theseknuckles is provided with an operating-arm c2, to which therearwardly-extended link F is pivoted.

D represents a bracket having laterally-extended feet d, which aresecured, respectively,

' to one of the side bars A and the adjacent lon` gitudinal frame membera. This bracket in` cludes an inclined tubular post E. The openingthrough this post is enlarged at its lower end, as at e, thereby formingthe internal shoulder e. The steering-post G, which, as shown, istubular, is rotatably mounted in this sleeve, and to its projectingupper end the steering-wheel g is attached. 'A worm g' thereof.

is formed upon or attached to the lower part of this post and it lieswithin the enlargement e of the steering-sleeve. An annular iiange g2upon the post, which may be the upper end of the worm, engages with theannular shoulder e'. This post is insertedxinto the sleeve from below,and thereafterthe lower end of said sleeve is closed by a member H,which is l tubular in the construction shown and kwhich is screwed intothe sleeve into engagement with the lower end of the post Gr. End*- wisemovement of the Vsteering-post Gwithin the sleeve E is prevented by themeans set forth. The throttle-operating shaft K extends entirely throughthe tubular post G, projecting from its upper end, and to this upper endan operating-wheel k is attached. This throttle-shaft also extends downthrough thisY tubular member H, in which it has an efficient bearing. Y

The bracket D has on its rear side a casing D for a worm-segment. videdin a diametrical line, and the two parts thereof are separably connectedtogether by bolts d'. The worm-segment M is'rigidly fast to anoperating-shaft fm, which is mounted in suitable bearings at the ends ofthe casing, and one end of theshaft extends out of the casing and hasattached to it a depending arm N, whose lower end is fashioned into aball n. On the rear end of the link F a coupling-sleeve f is secured.This coupling is a `split tube at its rear end, and two blocks f' f2,

which together form a ball-socket, are fitted 'into this end, whereinthey are adjusted by means of a plug f3, screwing into the end Theadjustment is maintained by clamping this plug, the coupling being splitfor this purpose. The ball-shaped lower end of the operating-arm passesdown through an enlarged opening in this coupling-piece into theball-socket formed by said two blocks. It is obvious that by turning thesteering-post the worm thereon operates the worm-segment ll/Lwhosemotion is transmitted, through the shaft m and the operating-arm N, tothe link F, which is thereby pushed forward or pulled backward, andthereby the steering-wheels are turned.

This casing is di- Vlt has not been thought necessary to show Ico theconnection between the throttle-operat'- l end of said shaft, a link foroperating the ing shaft and the throttle, since it is no part of thepresent invention, which relates primarily to the mechanism foroperating the steering-wheels. The same screw-threaded tubular member H,however, which takes the downthrust of the steering-post serves also asthe bearing for the lower end of the throttle-shaft, and to'that extentthere is coperation between the steering mechanism and thethrottle-operating mechanism.

The construction shown and described is simple and efficient, and all ofthe parts which might be injured by exposure are inclosed, and therebyprotected.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In automobile-steeringmechanism, the combination with the frame having two parallellongitudinallyextended bars, a bracket having laterally-projecting feetwhich are respectively Secured to said bars, and having also anupwardly-extended inclined sleeve, and, behind that, a casing having aremovable rear part, with a steering-post mounted in the said sleeve andhaving thrust-bearings therein to prevent its endwise movement, a Wormrigid with said post within said sleeve, a shaft mounted in said casingand having a projecting end, a worm-wheel segment secured to the shaftWithin the casing and engaging with said worm, an arm secured to theprojecting steering-wheels, and a ball-and-socket connection betweensaid arm and link, substantially as speciied.

2. In an automobile, the combination of a xed bracket having an inclinedsleeve the opening in which is enlarged in its lower end thereby formingan internal shoulder, which bracket has also, behind said sleeve, acasing, with a tubular steering-post mounted in said sleeve, a wormrigid with said post within the enlarged opening therein and bearingagainst said shoulder, a tubular member which screws into thel lower endof said sleeve and furnishes a thrust-bearing for the lower` end of saidpost, a throttle-operating shaft passing through this said post and thetubular memberscrewed into its lower end, a shaft mounted in the casing,a Worm-wheel secured thereto within the casing engaging with said worm,an operating-arm secured to said shaft, and a link for operating thesteering-wheels to which the lower end of said arm is connected,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof hereunto afx my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ROLLIN H. VHITE.

Vitnesses:

E. B. GILcHRIsT, Il. M. WISE.

